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Public commenters and trustees spar over textbook‑affordability regulation; board approves amended rule
Summary
Two public speakers urged trustees to keep instructional‑material decisions with faculty and not grant a veto to the president; trustees debated applicability to ISPs and tutorials before approving an amendment to Regulation 4‑2003 on textbook and instructional materials affordability.
Two public commenters raised objections to a proposed amendment to Regulation 4‑2003 (textbook and instructional materials affordability), arguing that the measure could improperly centralize authority over course content.
Kathleen Cody, identifying herself as a Charter Class alum speaking on behalf of “NCF Freedom,” addressed agenda items including the proposed regulation. Cody told trustees the proposed compliance language “runs the risk of severely impacting NC education” and argued that decisions about course appropriateness should “be left to the division chairs or the provost.”
Rodrigo Diaz addressed the board specifically about the proposed amendment. Diaz said the change would “require that every professor attest that every instructional material is appropriate for the course to which it is assigned,” and raised a hypothetical in which the president could implement additional policies to block use of a text. “The president would have a de facto veto over the faculty's right to determine the content of instruction,” Diaz said, and he urged trustees to “delegate the power to implement the regulation solely and entirely to the faculty, not to the president.”
David Brickhouse, vice president for legal affairs, told the board that the Board of Governors' regulation applies to ISPs and tutorials only to the extent those courses have required assigned materials; he said the BOG staff clarified instructors are expected to attest only to required course materials and not to materials students choose independently while conducting research. The provost and trustees discussed how that interpretation would apply to New College's tutorial and ISP model.
Trustee Baldonado moved to send the regulation to the Academic, Student and External Affairs Committee for further consideration; the motion to table the regulation failed on a procedural vote. The board then voted to adopt the presented amendment to Regulation 4‑2003. Meeting audio and minutes record debate on applicability to ISPs/tutorials and delegation to the president; the board approved the regulation as framed and instructed the president and provost to implement required processes.
Ending: Trustees asked legal and academic officers to provide faculty guidance and a plan to populate the searchable materials database required under the regulation. The board adopted the regulation amendment and directed staff to bring implementation details to upcoming meetings.
